Ridge-ventilator construction



1. syn Aw! RIDGE \VENTILATGR CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED DEC-17.1920= Pszimbe; 2& 2,922;

3 $HEETSSHEET l- J. SYILVAN.

RIDGE VENTILATOR CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED DEC. I7. 1920.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' entree stares PATENT @FFHCCE.

aosmn SYLVAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RIDGE-VENTILATOR (lONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent, Patented Mam;28, 1922, I

Application filed December 17. 1920. Serial No. 431,422.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SYLVAN, a citizen ofthe United States, and aresident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and 'useful Improvementsin Ridge-VentilatorConstructions; and I'do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact descripthe construction andoperation of that type ofventilator illustrated and described in my pending application forpatent, Serial No. 377 ,474, filed April 29, 1920.

The many advantages of theginvention will more fully appear as I proceedwith my specification.

In the drawings :'--9

the top part of a skylight to "which my'iinproved ridgeventilatorconstruction has been applied.

Figure. 2 is a horizontal section through the same on theline 2-'2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical detail sectional view on enlarged scale takenonthe line 3-301. Figure 1.

Figure 4 is anothervertical detail sectional view taken onth'e line 4- 1of Fig-- ure 1 p e Figure 5 is a view similar-to Figure ,1

but with the parts'in a changed relation.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section through the same taken on the line 66of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail'view of the parts shown in themiddle-ofFigure 6;

Figure-8is a perspective view of a bracket embodied in myimprovedconstruction and which will be more specifically referred to later.

Figure 9 is a view in elevation of one arcuate rack barembodied in myimproved construction.

of parts shown in the top end of Figure 1.

Figure 12 is a view showing a modified form of the parts shown in Figure11.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustratedinF i ures 1 to 11 inclusive of the accompanying rawingsz-15 indicatesthe downwardl and outwardly inclined rafters of a skylig t, the outerends of which are connected to a horizontal cross beam 16. Arising fromthe -middle of the cross beams 16 are standards 17. to which theabutting inner or top ends of the rafters are also secured, the top endof said standards extending. upwardly beyond said abutting ends of therafters.

The rafters 15 are connected by longitudinally extending angle bars 18spaced an equal distance on each side of the standards 17 and to saidangle bar are fixed the inner top ends of glazing bars 19 which supportthe skylightpanels 20. It isapparent that an opening 21, is defined atthe ridge of the skylight by the angle bars 18 and the top inner ends ofthe panels 20.

To the top end of each standard 17, em-

' bodied in the skylight, is secured an upright strap 22 whichterminates in an eye or Figure 1 is a transverse section. through loop23 to receive and support a short longitudinal stub shaft 24 arranged inthe median line of the skylight.

2526-indicate the ventilator sections or frames which are pivoted on thestub shafts light opening 21. Each ventilator section comprises innertop, and outer bottom, longitudinal angle bars 2728 which arecon nectedtogether by glazing bars 29 providing the support for the usual panels30 of said sections. Secured to the inner top an is bars 27 of bothsections, are straps 31-,wh1ch include eyes 32 that engage the ends ofthe stub shafts 24, one on each side of the strap eye23. Pins 33extending through the ends of said shafts lock the straps 31 against.endwise niovementpn the said shaft. Fixedto the outer bottorn'anglebars '28 are inwardly extending. gutter strips 3 1 which catch the Waterof condensation forming on the inner surface of the sections or frames pa 25 and 26. Figure 10 is a view in elevation of another 35 indicates aone piece ridge strip which bridges and closes the space or gap betweenthe inner top ends of the sect1ons'2526. In the present instance saidridge strip is made of sheet metal and includes a transversei curved topwall 36, and side walls 37 exten ing parallel with, but spaced from theadjacent flanges of the associated angle bars 27, as shown in Figures 1and 11. The side walls of the ridge strip are formed to providelongitudinally extending grooves 38 and in each groove is placed anelastic, waterproof material 39 which extends over upon the angle bars27 as shown in Figure 11. The top marginal ends of the panels 30 extendinto the grooves 38 of the ridge strip and engage upon the elasticmaterial 39, the edges of said panels having semi-cylindric metallicprotecting strips 40 arranged concentric with the grooves 38. Theseveral] parts are so arranged and so located with respect to the axisof the stub shafts 24, that as the sections 25-26 are being swung from aclosed to an' openposition or vice versa,

there will be a slight raising and lowering movement of the ridge strip,equal to the length of the are about which the inner ends of the panels30 travel, about the shaft asan axis, due to the engagement of the innerends of the panels in the grooves 38.

The means for operating the sections are as follows z-42-43 indicatearcuate rack bars-one associated with each swinging section. Each rackbar is concentric with the shafts 24 and the rack bar 42 is connected atone end to a clip 42 on the section 25, while the rack bar 43 isconnected at the opposite end, to a similar clip 43 on'the section 26.Said clips 42-43 are secured to the outer angle bars 28 inbothinstances. sections 25-26 are in their normally closed position, asshown in Figures 1 and 2, said rack bars extend in a plane substantiallyat right angles to the longitudinal median line of the skylight. I Y

The rack bar 42 has teeth 42, which extend from the free (right hand)end thereof, to almost the middle of said bar where a notch 44 isprovided, the purpose of which will appear later. The rack bar 43 hasteeth 43", which extend from the free (left hand) end of the rack bar toa point beyond the middle thereof as shown in FigurelO, which point isin line with that tooth 42 of the rack 42 nearest). the notch 44. On thefront face ofthe bar 42 is an under cut block or cleat 45, and on theopposite side of said under cut block orcleat 45 before mentioned. Onthe front surface of the free (left hand) end of said bar 43, which isbeveled as shown at 48, is secured a flat leaf spring 49 7 having ahooked end.

The teeth of said rack bars are adapted to mesh with a gear pinion 50,fixed on a longitudinal shaft 51 extending throu h'the uprights orstandards-17. Preferab y I secure When both to said standards, bearingboxes 52 for said shaft, and to one face of said boxes are securedbracket yokes orplates 53 (see Figures 4 and 8) which straddle the rackbars and prevent them from jumping out of mesh with the gear pinion. Onthe front and rear parts of said plates are provided, oppositely facing,stop hooks 54-55, which are adapted to be engaged by the hook 46 on therack bar 42 and the hook spring 49 on the rack bar 43 respectively.Secured to shaft 51, is a grooved pulley 56, over which is trained anactuating chain 57, which hangs down .in-the usual loop, in a positionwithin convenient reach for the person who is to operate the same.

In Figure 12, I have shown a modified form of ridge strip constructionwherein a flexible waterproof covering strip 60 encloses the ridge strip35, the margins of the strip 60 engaging in the grooves 38 of said ridgestrip and there being secured to the angle bars 27. In this constructionthe clastic material 39 is interposed between the margins of thecovering strip and the inner top marginal end parts of the panels. Thecovering strip 60, being flexible, will readily accommodate itself tosuch slight movement as is necessary in the raising and lowering of theridge strip, during the swinging movement of said sections 25-26.

When the ventilator sections 25-26 are in their normally closedposition, as shown in Figure 1, the beveled block or cleat 47 on therack bar 43 is engaged with the under cut block or cleat 45 on the bar42 so that said sections are connected together therethrough, andcounter balance each other. Thus, the outer angle bar 2-8 of bothsections 25-26 are normally spaced above, but overhang the angle bars 18of the skylight, as shown in Figure 1. By reason of the termination ofthe teeth 42"-43 as before mentioned, the teeth 42 of the rack 42 willbe out of mesh with the gear 50 while the teeth 43 of the rack bar 43will be in mesh with said gear.

Assume that it is desired to open the section 26. A pull on the righthand lap of the chain 57 will rotate the shaft 51 and the gears 50thereon (when the skylight is of such length requiring more than one setof rack bars 42-43) which will cause said rack bar 43 to move to theright and swing the section into its open position. If it is desired toopen said sectiononly a part way,

the pull on the chain 57, is discontinued when the desired position isreached, after which the friction of the shaft 51 in its bearings willbe suflicient to overcome the gravity action of said section, and thushold it in the part way open position. As soon as the block 47 movesaway from the block 45, the counter balancing action between thesections is destroyed and the section 25 will as will later bedescribed. It is apparent,

that the notch 44 in the bar42 prevents engagenient with the gear 50 inthis slight movement of the said section.

As the pull on the right hand lap of the chain 57 is continued, the saidsection 26 will continue to swing toward its full open po-,

sition, wherein it will extend into a position slightly inclinedupwardly from the horizontal plane of the stub shafts 24. Thus when awind is blowing over the top surface of the section 26, a partial vacuumis produced beneath its outer margin which will act to establish an updraft through the ventilator opening 21. As this full open position isapproached, the spring 49 on the rack bar 43 will engage against thehook 55 on the bracket 53, said spring then acting to swing the beveledfree end 48 of said rack bar 43 toward the rack bar42, which beveled endis in a position topass the adjacent end of the under cut block or cleat45, on the rack bar 42 as shown in Figure 7. When the pull isdiscontinued, the friction'of the shaft 51 in its bearin preventtheclosing o thesaid'section un der its own weight, As is apparent fromFigure 6, when the ventilator section is 1n its full open position, thefree end o f 'the rack 42 is flexed rearwardly, by reason of, theengagement of the block 47 on the rack bar 43, thus putting the rack bar42 under a fiexure stress for a purpose to appear later.

When it is desired to swing both sections 2526 in their open position,as shown in,

dotted lines in Figure 1, this is accomplished as follows :-The section26. is first swung into its full open position as just above described.This brings the beveled end 48, of the rack bar 43, into a positionready to engage the undercut block or cleat 45 on' the rack 42. The lefthand lap of the chain is then pulled downwardly, which will rotate thegear in a counter clockwise direction. This will cause the rack bar 43which is still in mesh with said'gear to move toward the left, when thebeveled end 48 of the rack bar 43 will engage the under cut block 45 onthe rack bar 42and impart a similar movement to said rack bar 42. As therack bar 42 thus moves, thetooth 42 adjacent the notch 44' is broughtinto mesh with the gear 50 so that thereafterboth racks are positivelyin mesh with, and are actuated together as one. by said" gear 50.Thepullon the left hand la-p ofthe chain being continued, the section 25will swing will be sufficient to 25 into open position, a further pullon the left hand lap of the chain 57 will cause the rack bar, 42 to-movetoward the left, the rack bar 43. also moving to the left until itsinnermost tootha43 passes out of mesh with the gear 50 when said section26 reaches its closed position, the section 25 continuing in its swingtowards its full open position until the hook 46 on the rear face of thefree 'end of said rack bar 42 engages the hook 54 on the bracket clip53, and stops the same, the section 25 then being in a positionopposite. that of the section 26 as shown in Figure 5. As the sectionswings toward its full open position, the free end of the rack bar 42which is under a flexure stress as before described, will act tostraighten out by reason of its engagement with the rear wall of thebracket 53 and will then act through the block 47, to move the bar 42toward the front Wall of the bracket plate so that the beveled end ofthe said rack bar 43 is out of the lane of the undercut block on the barhen it is desired to close the section 25, a pullis imparted to theright hand lap of the chain 57 which will swing the rack 42 to the rightuntil the block 45 engages the block 47 when-both sections are againclosed and in their counter balancing tooth 42 into engagement with thegear 50 just as the last tooth at the middle of the rack bar 43 leavesthe same, the slight movement of the associated section 26 being per--mitted by reason of the space normally existing between the angle bars28 and 18 respectively when both sections are closed and counterbalanced, A further pull on the left handlap of the chain 57 will causethe rack bar 42 to-grnove to the left, swinging the section 25 with it,until the hook 46 on the rack bar 42 engages the associated stop hook 54on the bracket 53. When the section 25 is in its full open position, itwill extend in a plane, inclined upwardly from the horizontal, theopposite from that position of the section 26, shown in full lines inFigure 5. To again close the section 25, it is only necessary to puil onthe right hand lap of the chain 57, the eleat 45 on the rack bar 42againengaging the block 47 as it ap proaches the same so that bothsections are again connected through the rack bars and will thencounterbalance each other.

It is apparent, that the sections 25-26 may be opened and closedindividually, and that to have both sections open simultaneously, thesections 26 must first be swung into a full open position to connectboth sections together, after which a closing movement of the section 26will impart an opening movement to the section 25.

t is apparent that the improved construction is strong and durable, issimple to operate, and is positive in its operation.

The-ridge construction is leak proof, and

\ oppositely arranged angularly disposed ventilator sections normallyclosing said opening, said ventilator sections being pivoted at theiradjacent margins and being capable of a swinging movement away from andtoward said ventilation opening, and an operating mechanism for swingingsaid sections into open and closed position, said operating mechanismincluding parts permitting either section to be swung individually orpermitting both sections to be swung simultaneously, after one of saidsections has been swung into a fully opened position.

2. A ridge ventilator construction of the kind described, comprising incombination with means providing a ventilation opening,oppositelyarranged angularly disposed ventilator sections normallyclosing said opening, said ventilator sections being pivoted at theiradjacent margins and being capable of a swinging movement away from andto.- ward said ventilation opening, a bar con-. nected to each sectionnear its outer margin, an operating device capable of actuating eitherbar for'swinging'the associated section, said bars-having coacting partsoperable in the movement of one barto connect both bars together, sothat thereafter both sections swing as one. i

3. A ridge ventilator construction of the kind described, comprising incombination with means providing a ventilation opening, oppositelyarranged angularly disposed ventilator sections normally closing saidopen-- ing, said sections being pivoted at their ad jacent margins andbeing capable of a swinging movement away from and toward saidventilation opening, an arcuate rack bar connected to each section. nearits other margin, and an operating gear capable of being engaged by bothrack bars, the rack bar associated with one section automaticallyengaging the rack bar associated with the other section, as the firstsection approaches its full 0 en position, so that thereafter bothsections are connected together to swing as one.

4. A ridge ventilator construction of the kind described, comprising incombination with means providing a ventilation opening, oppositelyarranged angularly disposed ventilator sections normally closing saidopening, said ventilator sections being pivoted at their adjacentmargins and being capable of a swinging movement away from and towardsaid ventilation opening, an arcuate rack bar connected to each sectionnear its other margin, a manually operable shaft capable of rotation ineither direction, and a gear "on the shaft, capable of being engaged byboth rack bars, the rack bar associated with one section automaticallyengagingthe rack bar associated with the other section, as the firstsection approaches its full open position so that thereafter bothsections are connected together to swing as one.

5. A ridge ventilator construction of the kind described, comprising incombination withmeans providing a ventilation-opening, opposltelyarranged angularly disposed ventllator sections normally closing saidopening, said sections being pivoted at their adjacent margins and beingcapable of a swingingmovement away from and toward said ventilationopening, an arcuate rack bar connected to each section near its othermargin, an operating gear capable of being engaged by both rack bars,and a block on one of said rack bars adapted to be engaged by the'end ofthe other rack bar, as the section associated therewith approaches itsfull open position so that said rack bars are connected and may beactuated together in the opposite direction.

6. A'ridge ventilator construction of the kind described, comprising incombination with means providing a ventilation opening,oppositely'arranged angularl disposed ventilator sections normallyclosing said opening, said sections being-pivoted at their adjacentmargins and being capable of a swingmg movement away from and towardsaid ventilation opening, an 'arcuate rack bar connected to each sectionnear its other margin, an operating gear capable of being engaged byboth rack bars, a block on one of said rack bars, a spring on the end ofthe other rack bar adapted to shift said end of said last mentionedrack-bar-into engagement with said block as said end approaches saidgear, so that said rack bars are connected and may be actuated togetherin the opposite direction.

7. A ridge ventilator construction of the kind described, comprising incombination with means providing a ventilation opening, oppositelyarranged angularly disposed v ntilator sections normally closing said01.41- ing, said sections being pivote'd at their ads jacent margins andbeing capable of a swinging movement away from and toward saidventilation opening, an arcu'a'te bar connect;- ed to each section nearits outer margin, each rack bar having teeth on its, periphery, agear-"adapted to be engaged by said teeth, a bracket in which said gearis arranged and guiding said rack bars, the teeth on one of said rackbars terminating short of said gear and the teeth on the otherraclebarterminating beyond said gear so as to be in mesh therewith, an undercutbloclc on that rack bar having its teeth terminating short of said gear,and a beveled block on the opposing face of the other rack bar which hasa beveled end, the beveled block on said last mentioned rack bar whenmoved in one direction, engaging the undercut block in the firstmentioned rack bar to cause its teeth to en gage the gear, the beveledend of said rack bar when moved in the other direction, being adapted toengage said undercut block when said end approaches the gear.

, 8. Ina construction of the kind described. the eombinationfof twoventilator sections,

including panels, means providing a pivotal connection for the adjacentspaced apart margins of said ventilator sections, means forswinging said sections into an opening and closed position, a ridgepiece closing the space between said sections, said ridge piece havinglongitudinal grooves in its sides into which the margins of said sectionpanels extend, said grooves being so constructed and so arranged withreference to said pivotal connection of said sections that said riogepiece will rise and fall to accommodate the arcuate movement of saidpanel margins as said sections move into open and closed positions.

9. A ridge ventilator construction of the kind described, comprising incombination with means providing'a ventilation opening, oppositelyarranged angularly disposed ventilator sections normally-closing saidopening, said ventilator sections being pivoted at their adjacentmargins and-being capable of a swinging movement away from and towardsaid ventilator opening, adjacent rack bars, one operatively connectedwitheach section near its outer margin, and a gear pinion associatedwith both rack bars. said rack bars and gear being so arranged and sopositioned with respect to each other that when the gear pinion isrotated in one directionQone rack bar is operatively engaged therewithand the other rack bar is disengagedtherefrom and when said gear pinionis rotated in the other direction, the second rack bai is-opera'tivelengaged therewith and the first one is disengaged therefrom.

1 In a construction of the kind described, the combination of twoventilator sections, including panels, means providing a pivotalconnection for the adjacent spaced apart margins ot said ventilatorsections, means for swinging .said sections into an open and closedposition, a ridge piece closing the space between said sections, themarginal parts of said ridge piece engaging the marginal parts of theventilator sections in a manner permitting the ridge piece to rise andfall to accommodate the arcuate movement of said marginal parts of saidsections as said sections move into open and closed positions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I ailix mysignature in the presence of two witnesses, this 11th day of December,A. D. 1920.

JOSEPH SYLVAN.

Vitnesses:

T. H. ALrRBns, CHRISTINA DEANS.

